Kentucky Baseball Seeks Right Chord in Music City
With backs firmly pressed against the wall the Kentucky baseball team travels to No. 2 Vanderbilt for a three-game series to close the regular season. The team then heads directly to the Southeastern Conference Tournament that opens next Tuesday.
First pitch against Vanderbilt on Thursday is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will be streamed live on the SEC Network Plus and the WatchESPN app. The UK Sports Network will broadcast the game via radio on 630 AM (WLAP) Lexington and on UKAthletics.com, with Darren Headrick on the call. Dick Gabriel and Doug Flynn have the live stream call. Friday is a 7:30 p.m. start and Saturday a 3 p.m. first pitch.
The Wildcats (28-20, 11-16 SEC) are battling for their NCAA Regional life knowing they need as many victories as possible over the next week to try and secure a postseason bid. The going won’t be easy in facing the Commodores, who won the 2019 national championship and have been a top five club the entire 2021 season.
Vanderbilt (37-12, 17-9) will throw arguably the top two amateur pitching prospects in the country the first two games with Kumar Rocker going in game one and Jack Leiter in game two. Kentucky will counter with right-hander Cole Stupp in the opener and determine the rest of its rotation on a day-to-day basis.
Currently, the Cats are the No. 11 seed in the SEC Tournament but could rise as high as eighth depending on this week’s results. They will open up on Tuesday in Hoover, Alabama in a single-elimination game.
KENTUCKY (28-20, 11-16) at #2 VANDERBILT (37-12, 17-9)
Thursday, May 20 at Vanderbilt
7:30 p.m. ET; Nashville (Hawkins Field)
TV: SEC Network Plus: UK Sports Network (630 AM, Lexington; 1080 AM Louisville)
Pitchers: UK – RHP Cole Stupp (4-5, 4.98); Vanderbilt – RHP Kumar Rocker (11-2, 2.44)
Friday, May 21 at Vanderbilt
7:30 p.m. ET; Nashville (Hawkins Field)
TV: SEC Network Plus: UK Sports Network (630 AM, Lexington; 1080 AM Louisville)
Pitchers: UK – TBD; Vanderbilt – RHP Jack Leiter (8-2, 2.05)
Saturday, May 22 at Vanderbilt
3 p.m. ET; Nashville (Hawkins Field)
TV: SEC Network Plus: UK Sports Network (630 AM, Lexington; 1080 AM Louisville)
Pitchers: UK –TBD; Vanderbilt – RHP Patrick Reilly (4-2, 4.68)
